I got a call from John Q to say that the access gate at Agnew's Hill had a new padlock. This would have been a first for that site. It turned out later that the lock is on another gate and not the access one. Problem solved.
I had a student coming out and opted for Big Collin as the forecast was for the wind to be ESE in the afternoon. That turned out to be the case and I had a quick soaring flight as my student, Ian Ramsey, arrived.
The windsock in the landing area was having a bit of difficulty making up its mind as to wind direction and kept switching from ESE to SE and back again regularly. The wind at takeoff was 16mph as Ian went off for his first flight in a while, having done part of a CPN course in Morocco some time ago. This was a straightforward soaring beats with bottom landing which he nailed beside the windsock as planned.
We then took the lazy way up - via the track from the windfarm using Ian's four wheel drive Range Rover. Ian's next flight getting plenty of lift, he practiced big ears and as the wind at the bottom had gone Easterly he landed further along above the lane, promptly falling over in his excitement.
I had another soaring flight as Ian decided that was enough for one day. As we packed up, Dermot Lagan arrived and climbed the hill to be rewarded by an excellent soaring flight in the easing wind, finishing with a standup landing at the bottom. See https://youtu.be/O67eesS5Amk.
After putting his wing into his car, Dermot discovered that his ignition key had come apart and the main metal part was missing. Without that - and not being a professional car thief - his car would not start. We searched for a good while, including opening and shaking out his paraglider until I happened to glance into the recess in the inside of the back door and there it was! Hard to explain how it got there but Dermot was very relieved.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Sunday, March 03, 2019
Windy day at Big Collin again.
FRIDAY 1 MARCH 2019
Driving up the newly surfaced Collin Road I could see two paragliders soaring the hill - always a great sight and removing any doubts as to flyable conditions. Turns out the pilots were John Quinn and Colin Dowey soaring the southerly slopes.
After a chat to Colin who landed near the cars, I made my way up the hill to the second 'ledge' where the wind was 16 -18mph and a little gusty. Daily Inspection and Pre-flight Check completed, I pulled the wing overhead and turned to take off then stood there in surprise as the wind had dropped. That was an illustration of the variation in conditions. After a few minutes the wind picked up again and I took off.
It was easy enough to stay up but it took a while to gain height, trying to ride the small thermals that drifted through. It was a little bit choppy but as the wind shifted to flow over the ridge up ahead there was a bit of mild rollercoaster flying to be had on the bottom landing approach. The decision to bottom land resulted from the realisation that the windspeed was gradually increasing and a further check at takeoff later showed 18-20 gusting 24mph. Colin had packed up and gone by then.
Ronald Chudziak and Mark Piggott turned up and flew and were still airborne in the wind that had now backed to SE, although not making much forward progress when I left after a chat with John and Alastair McMaster who had turned up, unfortunately too late to fly in the strengthening wind.
Driving up the newly surfaced Collin Road I could see two paragliders soaring the hill - always a great sight and removing any doubts as to flyable conditions. Turns out the pilots were John Quinn and Colin Dowey soaring the southerly slopes.
After a chat to Colin who landed near the cars, I made my way up the hill to the second 'ledge' where the wind was 16 -18mph and a little gusty. Daily Inspection and Pre-flight Check completed, I pulled the wing overhead and turned to take off then stood there in surprise as the wind had dropped. That was an illustration of the variation in conditions. After a few minutes the wind picked up again and I took off.
It was easy enough to stay up but it took a while to gain height, trying to ride the small thermals that drifted through. It was a little bit choppy but as the wind shifted to flow over the ridge up ahead there was a bit of mild rollercoaster flying to be had on the bottom landing approach. The decision to bottom land resulted from the realisation that the windspeed was gradually increasing and a further check at takeoff later showed 18-20 gusting 24mph. Colin had packed up and gone by then.
Ronald Chudziak and Mark Piggott turned up and flew and were still airborne in the wind that had now backed to SE, although not making much forward progress when I left after a chat with John and Alastair McMaster who had turned up, unfortunately too late to fly in the strengthening wind.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)